Maggie Speaks cover band coming to Orland Park

Music scheduled for Centennial Park West

Chicago-based cover band Maggie Speaks' members are, from left, vocalists David Calzaretta and Nicole Garza, drummer Blake Cooper, bassist Shawn Sommer and guitarist Samir Varma. They will take their all-ages show to Orland Park on Sept. 1 at Centennial Park East. (Kevin M. Coyne, Chicago Tribune)

When Chicago-based cover band Maggie Speaks takes the stage in Orland Park, fans can expect to hear a nonstop music extravaganza filled with encore-style songs from some of the most popular artists.

Maggie Speaks will bring its show to Centennial Park West from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, at Park Station Boulevard and Somerglen Lane.

The group is a living and breathing karaoke machine offering more than 400 hit songs. During a three-hour show, Maggie Speaks will perform nonstop and cover nearly 65 songs.

"We've become so successful because we surprise people through our diversity and our musicianship," said lead singer and band founder David Calzaretta. "We don't always play full versions of a song. … We view the show as a boxing match, and we try to keep the audience surprised."

Calzaretta founded Maggie Speaks in 1998 while he was working on his master's degree in accounting at Indiana University. After graduating, he started working as an accountant. As Maggie Speaks started to gain popularity, Calzaretta took what was once a hobby and turned it into a full-time job.

"We started the band for fun, but we still ran the band as a business, and we took what most bands do as a hobby and turned it into a full-time job," Calzaretta said. "We are diversified in different markets, from corporate events to weddings to festivals and shows. We are like a mutual fund and very diversified."

In a calendar year, Maggie Speaks will play more than 160 shows all over the country. Calzaretta's company, Magnificent Events, also created the bands Spoken For in 2006, Final Say in 2007 and Shout Out in 2013. Maggie Speaks usually performs at age-restricted venues, but summertime musical festivals have given the band an opportunity to engage the younger crowd.

"I used to teach gymnastics for 12 years, and that could be why I'm really good with small children and they are drawn to me," said Maggie Speaks vocalist Nicole "Nicki G" Garza. "I call my dance routine the 'Nicki G Dance Party,' and it's something that I love to do because it's great to inspire the kids to get involved in the show and it allows me to be a role model for the kids so that one day they may grow up to perform music too."

During age-restricted shows, the band can engage the 21-year-old crowd all the way to the 50-year-old crowd by covering well-known hits from Billy Joel to the Dave Matthews Band to Bon Jovi and the more modern hip-hop style of Flo Rida, Kesha and Justin Timberlake.

"This band is amazing because they play all different types of music from every era and they play without stopping," said Kevin Sheehan, 24, Mokena. "I've seen them at least four times, and they always come up with a different set list and really they do a great job of remixing popular songs."

All members of the band take turns ripping solos on their chosen instruments. Each artist brings his own style and flow to the five-member band of vocalists Calzaretta and Garza, drummer Blake Cooper, bassist Shawn Sommer and guitarist Samir Varma.

"We are different from all other bands," Calzaretta said. "If you were to put all the other bands in a blender, you'd come out with us. It's pretty organic with us. We get up with a set list that we don't always follow. We watch the crowd and see what type of traction we get and end up going with what the crowd wants to hear."

Concessions will be provided by Cooper's Hawk, Rock Bottom and Whole Foods. Free parking will be available at the adjacent Metra station, with shuttle buses running from the parking lot to the concert site.